Our Town South: March 1, 2024

Advertising Account Executive

If you like a sense of community, building business relationships, and are comfortable talking with new people and using a computer and smartphone as necessary, we offer a flexible position in a calm but deadline-focused environment. Mt. Angel Publishing, Inc. produces a variety of publications – from annual and quarterly magazines to weekly and monthly newspapers. Checkout www.mtangelpub.com

Our publications build community and we’re proud of that role. We will train you in our publications and process, then give you an account list to manage and grow. The goal is to provide you with the tools to be successful and help build our business community. This is a new position. It offers 20 flexible hours (32 hours is considered full time) and a combination of in-office and remote work. Initially hourly, compensation shifts to hourly-plus-commission as your assignments grow.

Benefits include Paid Time Off and Sick Leave. The right candidate will possess good communication skills, be self-motivated and goal-oriented, and have reliable transportation. Sales experience and familiarity with – and a desire to provide – good customer service a strong plus. If you are looking for a family-friendly environment, supportive company culture, room to grow and a role in shaping the company’s future this could be a great fit. Resume to: paula.m@mtangelpub.com or Publisher, Mt. Angel Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 927, Mt. Angel, OR 97362.

Glenn

Glenn

State of the City Aumsville’s success with grants propels city goals

By Stephen Floyd

Aumsville leaders celebrated steady progress toward major accomplishments during the State of the City Address Feb. 12 at the Aumsville City Council meeting.

Delivered by City Administrator Ron Harding, the 40-minute presentation focused on community wellbeing, infrastructure development and economic growth. A major highlight was the city’s fiscal health. Harding said in 2016 the city budget had little in reserve at the end of the fiscal year including negative balances in operations, police and water/sewer.

Harding said this improved after a new council ordinance requiring a year-end cash balance equal to at least 90 days of expenses. By the 2017-2018 fiscal year, these oncenegative departments were meeting this new standard, and in more recent years achieved more than double the 90-day target.

“We’ve got sustainable budgets,” said Harding. “We can purchase the things that the city needs.”

He also highlighted recent grant successes, including $7.7 million in 2022 and $13.25 in 2023. These included a $6 million forgivable USDA loan, more than $5.5 million in pandemic relief dollars, and $5 million in dedicated state spending.

Harding said, prior to 2022, it was a big deal if the city received more than $100,000 in grants yearly, as small towns tend to be less competitive than bigger cities. The numbers are even more significant considering the total city budget in a normal year is around $3 million, he said.

Harding said it’s “pretty remarkable” to now have grant totals in the eight figures and this is something the council can feel good about sharing with the community.

Of the $21 million in recent grants, $14.2 million went toward ongoing efforts to build a new wastewater treatment facility, which has a total project goal of $28.4 million. A $9 million USDA grant has also been secured, while a $4 million grant/loan package from DEQ is pending, and the city is contributing $1.2 million of its own funding.

Harding said the city is still looking for ways to drive down the total debt taken out for the project, such as a $4 million funding request during the current legislative session. He said the total loans will significantly impact sewer rates and they are “looking for every avenue” to reduce potential debt.

Community engagement was also a significant highlight, with investments in existing city-planned events and new offerings.

Harding said they have reorganized the Corn Festival

to offer more to visitors without adding more strain on volunteers, while also improving the volunteer experience. He said they also created successful new programs such as a pumpkin walk last fall with all pumpkins given away within an hour.

“We have a great turnout for all of these events and the feedback from the community I think has been really positive,” he said.

Another community win, he said, has been the increased level of engagement at City Hall with Spanish-speaking residents. Harding said more city employees are able to speak Spanish. The city is also creating Spanish-language publications, allowing more people to engage with the city.

There were also wins for community policing, with officers taking a more proactive approach, Harding said. There has been a 40% increase in calls for service in recent years, not because crime has risen but as the result of officers making more citizen contacts.

The city was able to free up more hours for proactive policing partly by reducing the time spent on callouts in other jurisdictions, said Harding. He said the city adopted a policy of responding to outside calls when a person’s health or safety is at risk such as a domestic violence call, and otherwise officers respond locally.

Art for everybody Stayton reviving Public Arts Commission

The City of Stayton is revitalizing its Public Arts Commission with the aim of creating a path for artists and community groups to create public art installations.

Three vacant positions are open on the five-person board and the city is accepting applications from all eligible residents.

The commission’s goals are to actively pursue opportunities for the placement of art in public spaces, and to promote art education, cultural programs and public access to art.

City Manager Julia Hajduk told Our Town that, once the vacant commission seats are filled, the city plans to pursue these goals in earnest.

“We’re really hoping that once the commission gets up and running and establishes some basic guidelines there will be an opportunity for people to submit proposals for art and murals around town,” she said.

The commission was first formed in February of 2021 after local artist Judy Mohney

approached the city with a desire to paint murals on sidewalks and the walls of public buildings downtown.

At the time there were no public art policies in place and city staff recommended forming the commission to help create a process and standards for such requests.

Mohney and four others were appointed to the board but amid COVID-19 and the 2021 ice storm the commission struggled to get under way and ultimately did not meet.

Mohney died in 2023, at age 80, and two other commissioners’ terms have since expired, leaving the board currently with two filled positions.

In January Stayton Community & Economic Development Director Jennifer Siciliano suggested city officials revive the commission as part of larger efforts to revitalize Stayton.

“I was thinking we need to get some people interested in arts,” Siciliano told the council

during its regular meeting Jan. 22.

“I’m going to try to reinvigorate [the commission] and get it back on track.”

Officials were quick to support the idea, with Councilor David Patty saying the original goal was to put decisions about public art in the hands of artists. Mayor Brian Quigley added he would like to encourage young people to apply for an open seat.

Potential candidates are encouraged to apply online via the “City Boards and Commissions” page on staytonoregon.gov. Applicants must reside within the city limits to be eligible.

In addition to fostering public art, the commission would advise the council on policies that encourage the arts. They would also help set standards for the display of public art and review applications for proposed installations.

– Stephen Floyd

Modular success Blazer receives $5M grant to create housing solutions

By James Day

Blazer Industries of Aumsville has received a $5 million state grant to ramp up its modular building work.

Oregon Housing and Community Services awarded the grant, one of four of that size that the state agency has delivered out of 17 eligible applicants. The other recipients were Intelifab of Klamath Falls, Pacific Wall Systems of Phoenix and Zaugg Timber Solutions of Portland.

The team at Blazer has first-hand experience with the demand side of the housing crisis question. The company has been forced to turn down business occasionally.

“As a modular builder in Oregon for 47 years, we have seen the ebbs and flows of the residential market,” Jessica Bailey, the company’s grant administrator, told Our Town.

“[But] what we are now seeing is unprecedented. Inquiries for residential projects received in 2022 increased by

550%, and then another 123% in 2023. We received inquiries for the entire West Coast, 47% specific to needs in Oregon. In addition, partnering with organizations who have a strong history in the residential market will help us address the state’s housing crisis. As a team, we can and will do better for Oregon.”

Blazer will use the grant funds to create standardized residential units for disaster recovery and low-middle income families in Oregon, Bailey said. Blazer will work with Age+, Hacienda, IdeaBox, and Emmons Design on best practices, training, design, and processes.

“The grant funds research and development for standardized modular units (including a multifamily model), along with construction of three prototypes,” Bailey said. “During the grant period, Blazer will continue to develop and build both commercial and residential orders. The R&D resulting from the grant funding will be used to increase production of all of Blazer’s emergencyresponse, low and middle income residential projects for Oregon.”

Blazer has approximately 150 employees and produces 300 to 500 modules per year depending on their size and complexity, Bailey said.

The grant allows Blazer to assemble a team that will focus on residential projects.

“Initially we will add four to six positions for the grant team,” Bailey said. “We’ll add production staff as needed.”

The $20 million in OHCS grant money stems from House Bill 2001, a massive piece of housing legislation that originally was passed in 2019 and updated and expanded in 2023.

OHCS officials said the goal of the grant money is to allow developers to prioritize modular housing that is affordable following a wildfire or other disaster or that fits the needs of low-income and middle-income residents.

“Oregon needs affordable and middleincome housing in all shapes and sizes,” OHCS director Andrea Bell said in a press release. “Investing in the production

capacity of modular homes is vital to increasing housing options, particularly in rural communities.”

Housing is considered modular when building sections are constructed in a factory and then put together at the intended site. The modular method of housing development can help accelerate affordable housing production as it can lower construction costs and reduce construction schedules compared to traditional building methods.

“The intent of the process and production efficiencies is to keep pricing as reasonable as possible, and also to enable Blazer to produce modules faster, which in turn will increase our capacity to build more residential projects.” Bailey said.

Blazer has a deadline of June 2025 to spend the grant funds. Bailey said it is her understanding that the grant is a one-time opportunity.

“However, the state may choose to offer similar grant opportunities in the future,” she said.

By Stephen Floyd

PacifiCorp has proposed a new customer fee to offset wildfire losses not covered by its insurer amid the likelihood of billions of dollars in pending legal payouts.

In a Feb. 15 filing with state regulators, the company proposed a new “Catastrophic Fire Fund” that would cost around $7.63 per month for the average residential customer in Oregon.

This was part of a request for a 16.9% overall rate increase, which would take effect Jan. 1, 2025, and cost average users about $30 monthly.

The overall increase would support added costs in operations, insurance expenses and wildfire planning and management, according to the filing.

PacifiCorp’s request remains pending before the Oregon Public Utility Commission.

The Catastrophic Fire Fund would act as a kind of selfinsurance, the filing explained, generating a pool of $3 billion over ten years for wildfire claims beyond those recoverable through insurance. PacifiCorp’s current policy limit for Oregon wildfires is $345 million.

The utility has been found liable for $175 million in jury awards so far in James et al vs. PacifiCorp over the 2020

Labor Day fires, with final damages potentially in excess of $1 billion. It also settled last year for $604 million between survivors of the Archie Creek Fire and a class of insurance companies.

In a statement in the Feb. 15 filing, Senior Vice President Joelle Steward said the Catastrophic Fire Fund was modeled after the California Wildfire Fund, created by that state’s legislature in 2019.

The latter generated $21 billion to protect utility companies from insolvency if they caused wildfire damage in excess of $1 billion.

California split costs for the fund evenly between utility companies and their customers, and charged both directly. Requirements were also placed on participating utilities to encourage wildfire safety such as linking executive compensation to a utility’s safety record.

PacifiCorp’s proposal is for customers to pay 80% of the fund and for the company to pay the remaining 20%. Costs to customers would vary by state, with a percentage assigned based on PacifiCorp’ assessment of wildfire risks in the six states where it operates.

Oregon ratepayers would be expected to support 32.4% of the customer share of the fund, estimated at $77.7 million

annually according to the filing.

While the California Wildfire Fund is a public program, the Catastrophic Fire Fund would be a private account administered by an informal advisory board, the filing said. The board, with six members appointed by each state’s utility regulators and three by PacifiCorp, would advise on which laws apply to which fires and claims, and assess the reasonableness of claims.

The board’s decisions would not be legally binding on states or PacifiCorp, according to the filing.

Steward said, without such a safety net, the increasing costs and limitations of insurance coverage for wildfires represents “an existential financial risk.”

“Regardless of a utility’s prudent actions, utilities could face claims in the billions of dollars and may have to reach beyond insurance proceeds to meet those liabilities,” he said. “Such massive claims on utility assets could compromise the financial stability that utilities require to maintain and expand infrastructure to meet both customer needs and state policies.”

As of press time the Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board, Alliance of Western Energy Consumers and Calpine Energy Solutions had sought to intervene in the matter.

Freres raises alarm about lawsuit limits

By Stephen Floyd

Freres Engineered Wood has petitioned to intervene in PacifiCorp’s attempts to impose limits on customer lawsuits as they seek damages from the utility for the 2020 Labor Day fires.

The company filed with the Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) Feb. 16 saying it has a direct stake in PacifiCorp’s request to add a limited liability clause to its contract for services.

The clause would effectively ban all PacifiCorp customers from seeking noneconomic damages against the company or damages caused by anything other than the use of electric services.

PUC has been given until April 9 to approve or deny the request, or to seek more time to investigate the matter.

Freres’ filing said it could be directly impacted by the outcome due to its heavy losses of timber land and work stoppages from the PacifiCorp-caused Santiam Fire in 2020. A $15.7 million suit by Freres against PacifiCorp is set

for trial April 22 and the proposed limits could “significantly and negatively impact Freres’s interests,” said the petition.

As of press time Freres’ petition had yet to be approved.

Freres would be the ninth group to intervene in PacifiCorp’s request since it was first filed with PUC Oct. 24, 2023.

Others include class members in James et al vs. PacifiCorp, Portland General Electric, Idaho Power, Oregon Citizens Utility Board, Oregon Consumer Justice, Alliance of Western Energy Consumers, Green Energy Institute and Sierra Club.

Intervenors were expected to file opening briefs Feb. 20 detailing their interests in the matter. This deadline was pushed to Feb. 27, beyond Our Town’s press deadline, after attorneys for the James class requested a time extension.

The attorneys said a member of their team had contracted COVID, while they were also preparing for a Feb. 26 Phase 2 damage trial against PacifiCorp.

By  Melissa  Wagoner

When Vernon Staley was born on Wednesday, March 26, 1924, no one could have known what the next 100 years might hold. All that was clear on that day was that Vernon – the first of the five children born to Edward and Josephine Staley of Prineville, Oregon –was loved.

“My dad was a prospector, miner and shoemaker,” Staley said, recalling that, though his father started out as a mercury miner, working in the Mother Lode Mine, he eventually changed careers, purchasing a shoe store.

“After [WWII] came along all mining shut down,” Staley said of the historical event, which not only prompted father’s change in vocation but also his own transformation into a newly drafted soldier. “I’d just graduated from high school.”

Originally sent to an Army boot camp known as Camp Adair in August 1943, Staley was later transferred to Denver and then to Missouri for the specialized medical training he needed to become a Combat Medic.

“We were looked down on,” Staley said of those months. “They called us pill peddlers and pill pushers because we didn’t carry a gun.”

But all that badgering ended when, on Dec. 1, 1944, Staley’s company – the 70th  Infantry Division known as “The Trailblazers” – left Boston on a ship headed for Marseille, France.

“When we were going overseas some of [the men] came to me and said, ‘If I get shot, would you patch me up?’ I said, ‘Of course,’” Staley recalled. That tenday trip – the last days of peace he and his fellow soldiers would know for some time.

“The Battle of the Bulge broke out six days later and they put us on the front lines – Christmas Eve, 1944.”

“Many, many, many skirmishes and battles” followed, according to Staley who, though he had once quaked at the sight of blood, spent the next four months doing everything he could to save his comrades and friends.

“If [soldiers] got wounded, we patched them up,” he said. “It was terrifying at times, because of the conditions. You were living with the constant threat of being wounded or put away.”

But Staley was never wounded, a fact he marvels at to this day.

“The only thing I got figured out is the man upstairs had bigger and better things, so he kept me around,” Staley mused.

Initially stationed in Germany for the first year of the post-war occupation, Staley returned to Prineville in March 1946, where he reconnected with childhood acquaintance Shirley Krog, who on June 11, 1949, became his wife.

“We had a lot of good times,” Staley said. Their marriage lasted almost 54 years and included the birth of three children – Anton, William and Victoria – whom he supported by working as a

machinist.

“When you work on a machine it doesn’t complain,” Staley said of his choice to leave medicine behind. “Also, I would have been ten to 12 years in school.”

Starting out at a machine shop in Prineville, Staley moved the family to Stayton in 1956.

“I was a machinist at a plywood mill in Aumsville,” Staley said. Then he worked in Salem and Portland before retiring in 1991.

“After I retired, every August we went to Memaloose State Park and were camp hosts,” Staley recalled. “The last year was 2002.” Then on May 26, 2003, Shirley died due to complications from a surgery.

Newly widowed, Staley continued to host, switching to Silver Falls State Park in 2010.

“I have a 30-foot travel trailer… and I did 20 years of camp hosting,” Staley said of his tenure. “Camp hosting was always wonderful.”

Hosting hasn’t been the only way Staley has given back. Over the years he has also planned annual reunions for the Crook County High School class of 1943 and for the western states division of the Trailblazers.

“I also volunteer with the Knights of Columbus,” Staley said. Explaining, “I can’t just sit around and grow moss.”

Now, with his one hundredth birthday fast approaching, Staley has a new project, a celebration of his life – the past, present and the future – scheduled

for March 23 at St. Mary Catholic Church in Shaw.

“We’re going to have a lot of people,” Staley said, listing family members and friends from all eras of his life including an estimated 35 members of the Trailblazers and two French WWII reenactors who he met while touring WWII cemeteries in France.

WWII Vet Vernon Staley during his deployment to France and Germany. SUBMITTED PHOTO

“And I’ll have my girlfriend here,” he added, referencing Dr. Tamara Haygood, a radiologist at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.

They met via the phone in 2006 when she called to interview him about his experience as a Medic.

“MD Anderson was interested in how the wounded were treated during the war,” Staley explained. “We were on the phone for two hours!”

Avid travelers, the couple have explored Europe and the United States, visiting WWII cemeteries and monuments including one in Nancy, France where Staley placed flowers on the graves of many friends.

“I had some real dear buddies,” Staley recalled. “Unfortunately, they’re gone.”

Which makes his upcoming birthday even more significant. “I’m still here,” Staley said with a smile, “about to start my second hundred years.”

Your emergency is our emergency.

When life hangs in the balance, Salem Health is here for you. From the moment you arrive, our staff and providers push themselves to the limit with a single-minded determination to help. That’s what they expect for their families, and it’s what you can expect for yours.

That’s care with respect.

Vernon Staley will turn 100 on March 26.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Frequent Address

Stayton Community Center, 400 W Virginia St.

Stayton Public Library, 515 N First Ave.

Weekly Events

Monday

Stayton Community Food Bank, 9 a.m. - noon, 1210 Wilco Road. Repeats

Monday - Friday. 503-769-4088

Santiam Senior Center, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., 41818 Kingston-Jordan Road, Stayton. Seniors 50 and older. Daily, weekly, monthly events. 503-767-2009, santiamseniorcenter.com

Senior Meals, 11:30 a.m. Delivery only. Age 60 and older. Serves Stayton, Sublimity, Aumsville, Lyons, Marion, Mehama. Repeats Wednesday, Friday. $3 donation suggested. For delivery, call Ginger, 503-769-7995.

Tuesday

Family Storytime, 10:30 a.m., Stayton Public Library. Explore the world of early literacy through songs, stories, rhymes. All ages. Free. 503-769-3313

English/GED/Citizenship Classes, 6:30 - 8 p.m., Stayton United Methodist Church, 1450 Fern Ridge Road. Class is free; workbook is $20. Repeats Thursdays. 503-779-7029

Wednesday

Stayton/Sublimity Chamber Business Network, 8:15 a.m. Network building event for local business, non-profit professionals. Location varies each week. For location, call 503-769-3464. St. Boniface Archives and Museum, 9 a.m. - noon, 370 Main St., Sublimity. Learn about Sublimity and possibly your family history. Free. 503-508-0312

Toddler Time, 10:30 a.m., Stayton Public Library. Explore the world of early learning and literacy together with your infant or toddler. Older siblings welcome. Free. 503-769-3313

Stayton Area Rotary, noon, Santiam Golf Club, 8724 Golf Club Road, Aumsville. Guests welcome. 503-5089431, staytonarearotary.org

Cascade Country Quilters, 12:30 p.m., Santiam Senior Center, 41818 KingstonJordan Road, Stayton. 50 and older. 503-767-2009

Thursday

Sublimity Quilters, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., St. Boniface Catholic Church, 375 SE Church St., Sublimity. Make quilts for local community donations and charities. Everything is provided. New members welcome.

Point Man Ministries, 6 p.m., Canyon Bible Fellowship, 446 Cedar St., Lyons. Veterans support organization.

503-859-2627

Friday

Cars & Coffee, 8 a.m., Covered Bridge Cafe, 510 N Third Ave., Stayton. Bring your classic vehicles for coffee, breakfast.

Saturday

Revival Youth Hangout, 5 - 6:30 p.m., New Hope Community Church, 657 N Second Ave., Stayton. Youth of the area are welcome. Follow “Revival_ Heartbeat” on Instagram and Tiktok. revivalheartbeat@gmail.com

Friday, March 1

SHS Theater Production

7:30 p.m., Stayton High, 757 W Locust St. Stayton students perform Mamma Mia! Tickets are $10 adults, $5 students. Students w/ASB card are $3. The play contains mature language and themes. It is recommended for ages 12 and older. Repeats 7 p.m. March 2; 2 p.m. March 3. Tickets at staytontheater. ludus.com or at the door.

Sunday, March 3

KofC Breakfast

7:30 - 10 a.m., St. Mary Parish Hall, 9168 Silver Falls Hwy., Shaw. Homemade biscuits and sausage gravy, scrambled eggs, hash browns, fruit cup, coffee, juice. Cost: $9 adults, $2 children 12 and under. 503-362-6159

Monday, March 4

Daughters of American Revolution

10 a.m., Stayton United Methodist Church, 1450 SE Fern Ridge Road. Guest speaker Tracy Duerst of Oregon Women for Agriculture of MarionClackamas chapters will discuss women in today’s agriculture. Abigail Scott Duniway chapter meeting follows. All are welcome. 503-508-8246

State of the City

6:30 p.m., Stayton Community Center. Stayton Mayor Brian Quigley will discuss the city’s achievements over the past year, the current state of the city and council’s vision for progress. Open to public. 503-769-3425

Stayton City Council

7 p.m., Stayton Community Center. Open to public. Agenda available. 503-769-3425, staytonoregon.gov

Tuesday, March 5

Stayton Lions Club

Noon, Covered Bridge Cafe, 510 N Third Ave., Stayton. New members welcome. Also March 19. staytonlionsclub.org

Stayton Parks and Rec Board

6 p.m., Stayton Community Center. Agenda available. Open to all. 503-769-3425

Wednesday, March 6

Caregiver Connection

Silver Falls Owl Prowl

5 - 7:30 p.m., Silver Falls State Park, 20024 SE Silver Falls Hwy., Sublimity. Indoor presentation, “All About Owls” and an owl pellet dissection activity. After sunset, embark on a half-mile round trip hike to call for owls. May not be suitable for children under 5. Free; registration and $5 parking permit required. Reservations required by visiting stateparks.oregon.gov and searching “Silver Falls State Park.”

Sunday, March 10

1 - 2 p.m., Zoom. Free educational support group for unpaid family caregivers caring for a loved one 60 years of age or older, or caring for a person living with dementia. For Zoom invite and register, contact Julie Mendez, family caregiver support specialist at 503-304-3432 or julie. mendez@nwsds.org

Friday, March 8

Community Play Group

10 - 11:30 a.m., Doris’s Place, 574 N 11th St., Aumsville. Free Community Play Group sponsored by Family Building Blocks. Includes complimentary snacks. RSVP: 503-7691120, familybuildingblocks.org.

Red Cross Blood Drive

Noon - 5 p.m., St. Boniface Catholic Church, 375 SE Church St., Sublimity. Appointments at redcrossblood.org.

Scavenger Collages

3:30 - 4:30 p.m., Stayton Public Library. Use the library’s collection of doodads to create a unique piece of art. All ages. Free. 503-769-3313

Saturday, March 9

Pancake Breakfast

8 - 11 a.m., Santiam Valley Grange, 1140 Fifth St., Lyons. Fundraiser breakfast for the Mari-Linn 8th Grade Promotion After Party.

Grow Your Own Food

10 a.m. - noon, Santiam Community Gardens, 846 Fifth St., Lyons. Learn about planning and growing food in a raised bed. Garden space, seeds and tools provided. Free. For details or to pre-register, call or text 503-859-2517 or email seedsupper97358@gmail.com.

Seedy Saturday

11 a.m. - 2 p.m., Silverton Grange, 201 Division St. Garden seed exchange, plant sale, children’s activities, garden supply vendors, educational resources. silvertongrange@gmail.com

Daylight Saving Time

Remember to turn your clock ahead 1 hour.

Brown House Tour

Noon - 2 p.m., Brown House Event Center, 425 N First Ave., Stayton. Tour the historic Charles and Martha Brown House. $5/ person. Children under 18 are free. For a special reserved guided tour, call 503-769-8860.

Monday, March 11

Sublimity City Council

6 p.m., Sublimity City Hall, 245 NW Johnson. Open to public. Agenda available. 503-769-5475

Aumsville City Council

7 p.m., Chester Bridges Memorial Community Center. Open to public. Agenda available. 503-749-2030, aumsville.us

Lyons Fire District Board

7 p.m., Lyons Fire Station, 1114 Main St. Agenda available. Open to public. 503-859-2410, lyonsrfd.org

Stayton Fire District Board

6 p.m., Stayton Fire Station, 1988 W Ida St. Agenda available. Open to public. 503-769-2601, staytonfire.org

Tuesday, March 12

Ancestry Detectives

10 a.m. - noon, Silver Falls Library. David L. Bruey will present “How I Did This!,” namely writing an acclaimed genealogical history titled The Ancestry of Amelia Marilla Morley: The Morleys Reach Ohio. Open to all. adsteering@ancestrydetectives.org

Wheels of Change

Noon - 1 p.m., Santiam Hospital, 1401 N 10th Ave., Stayton. Monthly education series on lifestyle modifications for common health. Topics include nutrition, diabetes, depression, anxiety and stress, pain management and more. Light snacks provided. Register at bit.ly/49dcow9. CHW@santiamhospital.org

Cascade School Board

7 p.m., Cascade District Office, 10226 SE Marion Road, Turner. Open to public. Agenda available. 503-749-8010, cascade.k12.or.us

Wednesday, March 13

Red Cross Blood Drive

10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Aumsville Fire Department, 490 Church St. Appointments at redcrossblood.org.

RDS Board Meeting

5 p.m., Beauchamp Building, 278 E High St., Stayton. Revitalize Downtown Stayton monthly meeting. Open to public. 503-767-2317, downtownstayton.org

Santiam Heritage Foundation Board

6 p.m., Brown House Event Center, 425 N First Ave., Stayton. Open to public. 503-768-8860

Thursday, March 14

Aumsville Food Pantry

Noon - 4 p.m., Bethel Baptist Church, 645 Cleveland St., Aumsville. Open to people in need of food. Repeats March 28.

503-749-2128

DIY Craftshop

5:30 p.m., Stayton Public Library. Decoupage birdhouse with supplies provided by the library. Free.

503-769-3313

Bingo for a Cause

6 - 8 p.m., Snow Peak Brewing, 280 E Water St., Stayton. Play Bingo and raise funds for Santiam Service Integration Team’s SI Neighbor to Neighbor Fund. Open to all. 503-767-2337

Aumsville Fire District

6:30 p.m., Aumsville Fire Station, 490 Church St. Agenda available. Open to public. 503-749-2894, aumsvillefire.org

Lyons Library Board

7 p.m., Lyons Public Library, 279 Eighth St. 503-859-2366

LGBTQ+ Peer Support

7 - 8:30 p.m. Zoom. Peer-led mental health young adult support group for LGBTQ2SIA+ individuals ages 18-30. Free on a drop-in basis. Sponsored by National Alliance on Mental Illness. Visit tinyurl.com/yalgbtqgroup to register. Repeats March 28.

Friday, March 15

Community Play Group

10 - 11:30 a.m., Santiam Chapel Assembly of God, 440 Fifth St., Lyons. Free Community Play Group sponsored by Family Building Blocks. Includes complimentary snacks. RSVP: 503-769-1120, familybuildingblocks.org

Saturday, March 16

Flea Market

9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Santiam Valley Grange, 1140 Fifth St., Lyons. Crafts, collectibles. Hamburger lunch available to go and limited seating. Free admission, parking. 503-859-2161

Garden and Food Questions Answered

9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Santiam Community Gardens, 846 Fifth St., Lyons. Linn County OSU Master Gardeners and Master Food Preservers will answer your individual questions about gardening and food. Research-based videos and publications are available for free. Drop in for baked goods, beverages and information. Free. Diane, 503-859-2517, seedsupper97358@ gmail.com

Linn County Flea Market

9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Linn County Fairgrounds, 3700 E Knox Butte Road, Albany. Admission is $2. Early bird registration, 8 - 9 a.m., is $6. Linncountyfleamarket.com

Bethel Clothing Closet

10 a.m. - noon, Bethel Baptist Church, 645 Cleveland St., Aumsville. Clothing from newborn to 2x. Free. 503-749-2128

Prom Dress Giveaway

11 a.m. - 3 p.m., Scio High, 28880 N Main St. Open to students from all surrounding communities.

Joseph’s Storehouse of Hope

11 a.m. - 1 p.m., Mari-Linn School, 641 Fifth St., Lyons. Food boxes. 503-881-9846

Sunday, March 17

St. Patrick’s Day

Monday, March 18

Stayton Friends of the Library

11 a.m., Stayton Public Library. New members welcome. 503-932-2733

Red Cross Blood Drive

1 - 6 p.m., Foothills Church, 975 Fern Ridge Road, Stayton. Appointments at redcrossblood.org.

Stayton Council Work Session

6 p.m., Stayton Public Library. Stayton City Council will discuss the results of the Urban Renewal Area survey. Work sessions are open to the public but do not allow for public comment. 503-769-3425, staytonoregon.gov

Stayton City Council

7 p.m., Stayton Community Center. Open to public. 503-769-3425

Lyons Neighborhood Watch

7 p.m., Lyons City Hall, 449 Fifth St. Open to public. 503-859-2167, cityoflyons.org

Tuesday, March 19

Alzheimer’s Seminar

1 - 2 p.m., Santiam Hospital, 1401 N 10th Ave., Stayton. Learn to understand Alzheimer’s and Dementia. Free. Register: alz.org/crf or 800-272-3900 Lego Build-it!

3:30 - 4:30 p.m., Stayton Public Library. Release your inner builder and put your creations on display. All ages. Free. Repeats through March 22. 503-769-3313 North Santiam Watershed Council

6 p.m. Zoom. Open to public. For Zoom link information, call 503-930-8202 or email council@northsantiam.org.

Wednesday, March 20

Dementia Care Conversations

1 - 2 p.m. Zoom. Free group for unpaid caregivers providing support to a loved one living with dementia. The focus is to provide dementia care information, training, resources to family caregivers. Offered by Family Caregiver Support Program at NorthWest Senior and Disability Services. To register, contact group facilitator Julie Mendez at 503304-3432 or julie.mendez@nwsds.org.

Stayton Library Board

6 p.m., Stayton Public Library. Open to public. 503-769-3313

Thursday, March 21

North Santian School District Board

6 p.m., Mari-Linn School, 641 Fifth St., Lyons. Open to public. 503-769-6924, nsantiam.k12.or.us

Saturday, March 23

Pancake Breakfast

8 - 10 a.m., Santiam Valley Grange, 1140 Fifth St., Lyons. Breakfast of eggs, ham, pancakes, biscuits & gravy, coffee, juice. $6/person. 503-859-2161

Budget Cooking for One or Two

10 a.m., Santiam Community Gardens, 846 Fifth St., Lyons. Basic cooking skills and meal planning with low-cost pantry foods are practiced. For details or to pre-register, call or text 503-859-2517 or email seedsupper97358@ gmail.com

Monday, March 25

Vigil for Peace

Aumsville City Council

7 p.m., Chester Bridges Memorial Community Center. Open to public. Agenda available. 503-749-2030, aumsville.us

Stayton Planning Commission

7 p.m., Stayton Community Center. Open to the public. Agenda available. 503-769-3425, staytonoregon.gov

Tuesday, March 26

Simply Spring Crafts

10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Stayton Public Library. Break into your creativity during Spring Break by trying out a variety of selfguided simple crafts to take home. The program is available through March 29 during open hours. All ages. Free. 503-769-3313

Lyons City Council

6:30 p.m., Lyons City Hall, 449 Fifth St. Open to public. Agenda available. 503-859-2167, cityoflyons.org

Wednesday, March 27

Santiam Hospital Auxiliary Tulip Sale

10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Santiam Hospital lobby, 1401 N 10th Ave., Stayton. $10 a bunch. Also March 28. 9 a.m. - noon March 29. Proceeds benefit scholarship program and special purchases for hospital, clinics.

Friday, March 29

Book Club Discussion

4 p.m., Stayton Public Library. Discuss Faye, Faraway by Helen Fisher. Join for tea, treats and book talk. Free. 503-769-3313

Saturday, March 30

Aumsville Easter Egg Hunt

9:45 a.m., Mill Creek Park, 1110 Main St., Aumsville. Egg hunts for all ages. Get your picture taken with the Easter Bunny. Free.

Sunday, March 31

Easter

Resurrection Sunrise Celebration

2:30 - 3:30 p.m., Towne Square Park, Silverton. Silverton People for Peace gather to advocate for peace, social justice issues on all levels of society. Open to all. 503-873-5307

7 a.m., Butte Creek Scout Ranch, 13462 S Butte Creek Road, Scotts Mills. A message by Josiah Muhr and singing led by Crook Finger Band. Breakfast of ham and eggs follows. Bring fruit or pasties if you’d like to contribute food. Sponsored by Scotts Mill Friends Church. All are

Lyons Easter Egg Hunt

1 p.m., Santiam Valley Grange, 1140 Fifth St., Lyons. Ages 0 - 12. 503-859-2161

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The Only Way Back to God

The good news concerning Jesus Christ can be summed up in a single verse. It’s found in the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans, chapter 6 and verse 23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

To illustrate what this verse teaches us I will

Fortunately for us, this verse does not end there. Our situation is not entirely hopeless because God is both good and merciful. The

done in our life. Everyone will get the wages they deserve. Everyone has sinned against God in one way or another, so our sin has separated us from the God who created us. It’s like a vast canyon has been created between us and God. This gap is so deep and so wide that no one will ever be able to

God’s righteous judgement. We are stuck.

But this gift of God is not merely a longer life on forever with God in the eternity of heaven.

This gift of God is free, but it is only available through one way and that way is a Person. It is Jesus Christ. By putting our faith, that is

This gift has been made possible because Jesus agreed to die in our place on the cross. When He died all our sins were paid for by His death on our behalf. He died for

the vast canyon. We can come back to God only because of what Jesus has done for us. This free gift is received by faith when we repent of our sins and believe the good news of what Jesus has accomplished for us. But if we do not trust Jesus enough to actually obey Him as our Lord we still don’t really trust Him. It is the Lord who saves us, so He cannot be our Savior if He is not our Lord. So, there you have it in one simple verse illustrated on one napkin. What keeps you from believing it and accepting God’s free gift? Talk to Him about it. He is there and He will not turn you away. If you have any questions, or would like for me to pray with you, please call 503-926-1388 anytime.

Come join me for a free Men’s Prayer Breakfast at Noble Inn, at 409 S. Water St., every Thursday morning from 5:30 to 7 am. Join the team that helps me publish these gospel articles each month. Call 503-926-1388 to RSVP to attend each week.

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Gregg Harris, “Please cross this bridge when you get to it.”

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Santiam Hospital is beginning a new series of free programs on lifestyle modifications and health issues. Wheels of Change starts Tuesday, March 12 from noon to 1 p.m. and will continue monthly through November on the second Tuesday of the month. The sessions are in the hospital’s Freres Auditorium. Light snacks will be provided.

Topics to be discussed include nutrition, diabetes, assessment and transitions of care, movement as medicine, depression, anxiety and stress, pain management, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),

quitting smoking and hypertension.

Registration is encouraged at bit.ly/49dCOW9. The first 30 people who register will receive a free gift related to the monthly topic for each class. For information email CHW@ santiamhospital.org or call 503-769-9319 to speak to someone in English or Spanish.

Potential participants who have possible barriers to attendance such as child care or transportation are urged to call or email to see if they can be accommodated.

G rant funds Seasons of Safety program

By James Day

Santiam Hospital has received a $5,000 grant that will allow for a second Seasons of Safety program in the Stayton/ Santiam Canyon area.

The Willamette Health Council awarded the community benefit initiative grant to the hospital’s integrated and health outreach department.

Seasons of Safety allows community members to ask questions, and get hands-on experience practicing behaviors that could improve their safety, such as learning how to make sure a child’s car seat is properly secured in a vehicle or how to perform a bike check before going for a ride.

Last year, Seasons of Safety events were held in Mill City, Stayton, and Aumsville and served more than 600 individuals. Approximately 40 car seat checks were performed and 26 car seats and approximately 200 life vests were given out. No dates or sites have been announced for this year’s programs, but hospital officials said the first event likely will be in May or June.

“We had a great community turnout last year, and we are excited to offer this event to the community once again” said Josie Crocker, lead planner for Seasons of Safety. “The goal is for the sponsorship to improve the community’s access to information and resources that will allow them to make decisions that lead to healthy behaviors,” Crocker said.

Wheels turn Court dates set, bail bonds applied, judgment requested

Webb ‘indigent,’ gets new trial date

The trial of Eric Raymond Webb, an Aumsville man accused of vehicular manslaughter, has again been delayed after he could no longer afford a private attorney.

On Feb. 13, former Webb attorney Mike Arnold, of Eugene, filed a notice of withdrawal in Marion County Circuit Court saying his client was “indigent” and was requesting a public defender

On Feb. 21 Judge Tracy Prall appointed Salem attorneys Zach Causey and Spencer Todd as Webb’s lawyers. Prall also reset Webb’s trial from May 13 to Oct. 14.

The May 13 trial was itself the postponement of an original Jan. 8 trial, which was reset after Webb’s first attorney Jason Short notified the court Oct. 30, 2023, their relationship had terminated. Arnold was substituted as Webb’s attorney Nov. 6, 2023.

Webb is accused of striking pedestrian Julia Aubrey Wade, 26, of Salem, with his pickup at an intersection in Salem Jan. 21, 2023. Wade died from her injuries last May.

Webb is charged with numerous felonies including first-degree manslaughter, DUII and hit-and-run and if convicted faces at least ten years in prison.

Lyons woman arrested for weapon assault

A Lyons woman has been charged with felony assault after allegedly attacking a Mill City man Feb. 2. Ashley Nicole Blachowski, 34, was charged with seconddegree assault Feb. 5 in Linn County Circuit Court for an alleged attack involving a dangerous weapon. If

convicted, she faces at least 70 months in prison.

Blachowski was released from the Linn County Jail that day after posting 10 percent of $50,000 bail. She is due back in court March 18 for a hearing before Judge Brendan Kane.

Stayton man arrested for injury assaults

A Stayton man has been charged with felony assault after allegedly injuring two women during an incident Feb. 4.

Dakota Byran Selvidge, 22, was charged Feb. 5 in Linn County Circuit Court with second-degree assault and fourth-degree assault. If convicted, he faces at least 70 months in prison.

Charging documents said Selvidge allegedly caused serious injuries to one victim and minor injuries to another.

Selvidge was released from the Linn County Jail Feb. 5 after posting 10 percent of $50,000 bail.

He was tentatively scheduled to return to court March 25 before Judge Thomas McHill, pending the status of ongoing investigations into the matter.

Judge asked to rule in HP Civil suit

The judge in a lawsuit between HP Civil and its former CEO has been asked to decide the matter, with both sides claiming the case clearly leans in their favor.

In motions filed Feb. 7 and 8 in Marion County Circuit Court, former CEO Roger Silbernagel and the company’s current executives asked Judge Lindsay Partridge to rule on all claims.

Both parties said the facts supporting their cases were indisputable and a jury did not need to resolve the matter.

A hearing on the motions is set for April 5.

Silbernagel sued in 2022 for $15 million, claiming he was unjustly fired that May by President Larry Gescher and Vice President Josh Smith. The three founded HP Civil in 2014.

Silbernagel claims tensions between them were longsimmering and erupted after Gescher and Smith allegedly allowed an HP Civil employee to racially harass Silbernagel’s African American son. Silbernagel also claims he was unlawfully forced to sell his shares after being fired, and that the shares were significantly undervalued.

Gescher and Smith denied wrongdoing and countersued for $5 million.

They accused Silbernagel of breach of contract for refusing to sell his shares, and of neglecting to return a company-owned truck, laptop and iPad. They also accused him of accessing confidential company information after being fired, allegedly using these records to compete with HP Civil for project bids.

Silbernagel denied wrongdoing and claimed defendants made “representations” he could keep the truck, laptop, and iPad. He also claimed defendants waived their rights to confidentiality by waiting until months after he was let go to revoke his login credentials.

Former Regis student sues school, alleging racial harassment

A former student has sued Regis St. Mary Catholic School for alleged racial harassment, claiming the school failed to prevent verbal and physical abuse by classmates.

The student, represented by guardian ad litem Stephanie Pileggi, is seeking $750,000 in Marion County Circuit Court for incidents starting in April of 2022 when the student was in 5th grade.

The school, as well as co-defendant Archdiocese of Portland, has denied wrongdoing and asked for the claims to be dismissed.

A hearing to set a trial date is scheduled for March 13 before Judge James Edmonds.

According to the suit, originally filed Sept. 19, 2023, plaintiff was the only African American in the middle school program. Because of his skin color, the suit claims multiple students targeted him including incidents of:

• Alleged repeated physical harassment causing bruises and marks.

• Alleged repeated use of the n-word, with one student allegedly telling plaintiff they would “shoot his house” after the harassment was reported.

• Plaintiff allegedly being teased about whether or not he liked fried chicken, watermelon and grape Kool-Aid.

• Students allegedly making false claims of wrongdoing against plaintiff

to have him suspended from playing basketball.

Additionally the suit claims one teacher allegedly would group plaintiff for assignments with students known to harass him and denied his requests to be moved to another group.

The same teacher allegedly ignored his Independent Education Program (IEP) for ADHD and anxiety, and punished him for using a Chromebook and fidget device allowed by the IEP. This included allegedly making plaintiff sit in the hall where he would encounter harassment by other students, and in one alleged incident striking him while forcibly taking the Chromebook.

The suit claims school staff and

administrators were made aware of these incidents and allegedly ignored or minimized the harassment, or implied plaintiff had provoked the harassment.

In April of 2023 he was disenrolled from Regis by his parents “as a result of the continued racism, harassment, bullying, and assaults,” said the suit.

Regis denied the allegations in a Dec. 20, 2023, court filing and said any harm suffered by plaintiff was not the result of the school’s actions or inactions. The school acknowledged it responded to 13 separate incidents involving plaintiff in 2022 and 2023 and said these were all “promptly addressed.”

– Stephen Floyd

Fentanyl A

By Melissa Wagoner

In late September one Silverton father got a call he hoped he would never get, that his 16-year-old daughter had just overdosed on fentanyl and was being rushed to the hospital.

“I didn’t expect it to be here,” the father – who has asked to remain anonymous – said of his reaction to finding out his daughter had been sold this dangerous drug in her own hometown. She has since recovered.

“I think the community should know there’s a problem.”

And fentanyl is a problem in Oregon, according to Sergeant Eric Strohmeyer – a member of the Portland Police Bureau’s Narcotics and Organized Crime High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) and Addiction Task Force for the past eight years.

“For Portland my team gets notified on every drug overdose and last year we broke our record at 156. I would say 75

drug that’s cheap, available statewide, and deadly

percent were fentanyl,” Strohmeyer said.

“Right now, we’re at 260 and I would say 90 percent is fentanyl. So, from my perspective, that it is dangerous, is extremely true.”

Relatively stable in pill form, Strohmeyer said the real risk – to those who are not actively engaging in its use – is when it is in its powdered form.

“Powdered fentanyl is a big deal,” Strohmeyer confirmed. “All it needs is for a bit of wind to kick up and you ingest it. We have very specific processes just to test the powder because it can become airborne so easily. It’s the universal precautions… wear gloves and a Kn95 mask.”

If an overdose is suspected, Strohmeyer advises immediately seeking emergency services that carry NARCAN – the name brand of the most common medication used to combat an opioid overdose by blocking the receptors in the brain.

“If there is a suspected overdose of any type, call 911,” Tom Barber, a deputy sheriff assigned to Sublimity with the

Marion County Sheriff’s Office agreed. “Sublimity is covered by the Sublimity Fire Department and medics from Santiam Hospital. Police will come, too, but getting medics started is first and foremost.”

Fortunately, those calls have been – thus far – relatively uncommon.

“I only know of a couple in the past six years,” Barber said.

While he does not have access to the current statistical data reporting fentanyl usage in the Sublimity area, he did say that, among students in the North Santiam School District, it is low. Advising parents who are worried about potential drug use, “As in any part of a child’s life, the parents need to be active in their kids’ lives. Always be open to them about all aspects of life and have a good working relationship with them.”

Additionally, Strohmeyer suggests monitoring phone use and social media accounts like Instagram and Snapchat – where the Portland Police see the majority of drug sales taking place.

“The dealers are not hiding a thing,” he said. “They may be using slang, but that’s the biggest thing.”

If parents are already aware that drugs are an issue for their child, Strohmeyer suggests stocking NARCAN nasal spray at home. Because, while the police force in Sublimity is observing very little fentanyl use among youth, Portland’s numbers are climbing – from seven teenaged overdose deaths between the years 2020 and 2022 to nine reported deaths in just the past four months.

“We’ve seen the biggest jump in juvenile deaths,” Strohmeyer confirmed. Adding that, while the reported numbers already show an alarming increase, the actual number of children hospitalized due to fentanyl overdose may be even higher owing to a lag in reporting by area hospitals.

“It’s so cheap,” Strohmeyer said, naming the main reason fentanyl has become such a widely available drug. “Fentanyl is really the one drug I’ve seen that knows no socioeconomic boundaries.”

Sometimes you might see a couple of guys move forward from a high school basketball squad to a community college team. But three? And when you add another player from a rival school five miles away?

Well, sometimes it seems like the Chemeketa Community College men’s basketball squad looks a lot like a Stayton-Cascade all-star team.

Playing for the Storm this season are Dominic Ball, Kellen Sande and Ty Best of Cascade and Jace Aguilar of Stayton. Ball is the lone sophomore in the bunch, with Sande red-shirting a year ago and thus in his first year on the squad.

The numbers show that the locals definitely have made their presence felt. Sande, a 6-foot guard, leads the team in scoring at 12.3 points per game, and also leads in assists and steals. Ball, a 6-11 center, averages 7.4 points, a team-high 5.9 rebounds and a team-high 1.9 blocked shots. Best, a 6-7 forward, averages 9.4 points and 5 boards. The 6-foot Aguilar is scoring 5.3 points per game. Sande has started 24 of the 25 games, with Ball at 22, Best at 7 and Aguilar with four starts.

The Storm, who are 11-14 overall and 5-10 in the South Region of the North West Athletic Conference, average 73.8 points per game. The Stayton-Cascade contingent accounts for 34.4 of those.

The squad concluded its 2023-24 season Feb. 28 against Umpqua, after the Our Town press time.

Ball, Sande and Best all played on the 2022 Class 4A state champions at Cascade. Sande and Best were named to the all-tournament team. Best had a year left, but a knee injury reduced him to a spectator as the Cougars repeated as state champions in 2023.

So what is the difference between high school and college hoops?

“You have to buy in,” said Aguilar. “The season is two or three times as long and everyone’s good and everyone can beat everyone.”

“You have to be focused and organized,” said Best, who noted that the knee injury

has healed and he feels like his old self again.

“You can’t take the night off,” Sande said.

Ball and Sande made the first leap to Chemeketa, with Best noting it became “a great option” for him with his ex-teammates already there.

Aguilar had an interesting take on recruiting, noting that being able to play with the Cascade athletes was an incentive because he knew they would work hard and help make him better.

Ball’s eligibility ends this spring and he says he definitely wants to continue playing. He’s in general education at Chemeketa with hopes of working in computers. Southern Oregon has expressed interest in him.

Sande, Aguilar and Best all are freshmen, eligibility-wise, and all three have more time than Ball to think about their futures. Sande knows he wants to work in law enforcement and is getting his criminal justice course work out of the way at Chemeketa. Aguilar wants to major in exercise science, perhaps at Oregon State University, with the goal of becoming a personal trainer.

Before his knee injury Best was getting looked at by Eastern Washington and Portland State. He said he wants to study accounting and finance and hopes to find a four-year school that will give him the best combination of basketball opportunity and the chance to meet his educational goals.

1035 N. 6th Ave, Stayton 503-765-2656

to Sundays at 6:00 am

Confession: Saturday, 11-11:30 am, 3:30-4:30 pm, Thursday, 7:00 pm - 7:45 pm, or by appointment

Chemeketa College basketball players, from left, Jace Aguilar, Kellen Sande, Dominic Ball and Ty Best after a workout on Feb. 13.  in Salem. JAMES DAY

Sports roundup

Cascade takes fourth in state wrestling

By James Day

Junior Skyler Sutton of Cascade captured the 113-pound title to help lead the Cougars to a fourth-place finish in the Class 4A wrestling championships Feb. 22-24 at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

The sterling state finish coupled with a second place at districts marked a strong first season for first-year coach Spencer Crawford, who replaced longtime Cougars head man Jason Lovell.

Sutton scored a 5-0 victory against Brett Haitinier of Tillamook and although he was the lone state champ for the Cougars he had tons of help as nine other Cougars racked up team points.

Matthew Hinkle took second at 190, falling in the final to Gavin Sandoval of Crook County. Hans Kamm advanced to the semifinals at 126 pounds. Ethan Coates wrestled to third at 165, a spot also claimed by heavyweight Nicholas Lopez Brody Copple (138) and Caleb Darby were fourth. Griffin Copple (150) was sixth, Conrad Baxter and Solomon Sandoval (215) won matches and Brett Welch (175) also participated.

Stayton scored 25 team points and finished 14th, led by Leonardo Michel, who finished third at 138, where he took a 10-2 major decision from Cascade’s Brody Copple in the match for third. The result mirrored the district meet, where Michel pinned Brody Copple in the final. Also winning matches for the Eagles were Luke Sorensen (106) and Lyric Burroughs (157), while Oskar Arceneaux (144) and Liam Ritchie (150) also participated.

Regis, meanwhile, scored 29 points and finished 14th in the 2A/1A meet in just its third year of offering the sport. Thomas Bischoff finished second at 215, falling via a 3-1 decision to Cody Vance of Toledo. Bischoff won a state title a year ago at 170. Mark Nusom advanced to the semifinals at 190 for the Rams, Logan Kirsch captured a pair of match wins at 175 and Noah Koenig (150), Josh Crowell (106) and Gavyn Andall (285) also participated.

In girls competition Cascade, led by state champion Evelyn Wirfs, scored 22 points and finished 29th in the 4A-3A-2A-1A meet. Riley Paden (140) and Alexis Cruz (100) also participated for the Cougars.  Basketball: Stayton and Cascade both are alive and well in the playoffs. The Stayton girls visit Marshfield on Saturday, March 2 at 2 p.m., while Cascade hosts Crook County at 6 p.m. For the boys, Cascade hosts LaGrande at 5 p.m. on Friday, March 1.

Swimming: Cascade scored five points in the Class 4A-3A-2A-1A state swimming championship in Beaverton and finished 15th. The Cougars were led by Jacob Gehley, who took second in the 100 back in 57.38. Stayton qualified one relay team, the 400 free, which finished 11th in 4:13.64. Swimming for the Eagles were senior Bethany Wagar, freshman Dekoda Steiner, senior Aunika Thiessen and freshman Leah Ellerbee

Cheerleading: The Stayton cheers squad took fifth in the Class 4A traditional competition at the OSAA championships Feb. 9-10 at Oregon City. Stayton scored 87.40 points, trailing only Newport (107.10), Sweet Home (102.20), Philomath (96.80) and North Bend (93.80). Cascade finished sixth with 82.90.

Umpires:  The Oregon Athletic Officials Association and the Oregon School Activities Association are recruiting officials for the high school spring sports seasons. There is an immediate need for umpires in baseball and softball.

Becoming a high school official has several benefits including staying involved in athletics, maintaining good physical condition and earning money, according to OAOA Executive Director Jack Folliard.

“Oregon has an urgent need for officials in all sports,” Folliard said. “Officials provide valuable service to high schools and students, make a positive impact in the community and build relationships.” Those interested should visit www. newofficials.org.

Sports Datebook

Monday, March 11

Girls Tennis

4 p.m. Stayton vs Silverton

Tuesday, March 12

Baseball

4:30 p.m. Stayton vs Gladstone

4:30 p.m. Regis vs Country Christian/ North Clackamas Christian

Wednesday, March 13

Softball

4:30 p.m. Stayton vs Valley Catholic

Boys Tennis

4 p.m. Stayton vs Valley Catholic

Thursday, March 14

Girls Tennis

4 p.m. Stayton vs Blanchet Catholic

Friday, March 15

Baseball

4 p.m. Regis vs Umpqua Valley Christian

4:30 p.m. Stayton vs Yamhill-Carlton

Softball

4:30 p.m. Cascade vs Cottage Grove

Tuesday, March 19

Softball

4:30 p.m. Stayton vs Lebanon

Wedensday, March 20

Softball

4:30 p.m. Stayton vs Estacada

Boys Tennis

4 p.m. Stayton vs Woodburn, South Albany

Friday, March 22

Girls Tennis

4 p.m. Cascade vs South Albany

* Home varsity events only. Visit osaa.org for complete schedules.

© MIKE FLIPPO / 123RF.COM

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A Grin at the End Cloud breaks Seizing the opportunities

I have never paid much attention to the weather. After all, what’s the point? There is absolutely nothing I can do about it. Plus, the weather forecast is always more of a best guess than a guarantee. Even the meteorologists seem confounded. We’re supposed to be in the middle of an El Niño. In general, that means we should be having a dry and warm winter. We are – exception when it’s wet and cold.

Want to know what the weather will be tomorrow? Flip a coin.

I used to live in the Lousy Weather Capital of the World – Juneau, Alaska. It rained an average of 90 inches a year, about twice as much as in the Willamette Valley. I mean, Silverton and Stayton are in a desert compared to Juneau. Each year, July 4 was the only day of the year with even a 50-50 chance of it not raining.

Every other day, the odds favored rain.

During the winter, the average temperature was about 32 degrees. That meant the precipitation came in the form of rain, snow, sleet, ice, freezing rain or liquid misery from the netherworld, making the storms we occasionally get in Oregon seem pretty tame.

What brings that to mind is a conversation I had the other day with a guy I met who lives in Juneau. He reported that 76 inches of snow had fallen there in January. One month. That’s nearly 2.5 inches of snow a day.

He also mentioned that when it wasn’t snowing, it was raining. That’s when Juneau turns into the world’s biggest snow cone.

I have never been so grateful that we had moved – even if it was to Minnesota, which has its own set of winter time challenges.

I lived in Juneau for 14 years and had a good job editing the local newspaper. I worked ten to 12 hours a day, plus weekends. I loved my work. I never thought much about that, but maybe it was because my job kept me indoors. It also gave me the discipline to ignore the weather. Whether it was raining, snowing or anything else made no difference. The best plan was always the same – ignore it.

I still felt that way here in Oregon. I never checked the weather forecasts. Every morning when I woke up, the weather was a total surprise. Rain was

fine. So was fog, or almost anything else short of a hurricane. It just didn’t matter.

Until recently. I have gone from a weather agnostic to a fanatic. Lately, when I catch a glimpse of sunshine, I am totally twitterpated. I feel as though the day will be the best ever. I know the birds will be singing and the song “Zip-A-Dee Doo Dah” will be dancing inside my skull.

My, oh my, what a wonderful day.

I don’t know why that is. Maybe it’s a realization that I – and everyone else – only have so many days to roam the planet and we’re best off enjoying the sunshine.

Or maybe it’s just a happy reminder that I’m not in Juneau anymore.

Carl Sampson is a freelance editor and writer. He lives in Stayton.

March 27th, 28th & 29th

9am–5pm March 27th-28th

9am-Noon on March 29th

Main Lobby of Santiam Hospital & Clinics 1401 N. 10th Ave., Stayton santiamhospital.org Per Bunch

Proceeds benefit the Santiam Hospital & Clinics Auxiliary Scholarship Program, and fund the purchase of needed items for various Santiam Hospital & Clinics departments.